OK, we'll get back to football in a minute, but first the Oregon State men's basketball team, which wakes up in New York City this morning with thoughts of salvaging its trip and splitting a pair of games at Madison Square Garden.

And before we get to that, a clarification: This was billed as the OSU's first time in the Garden, but not so, according to a former player who reminded us that in December of 1972 not only did the Ralph Miller-led Beavers win in the Garden (against Long Island University), but it also came three days after they beat Temple at the Palestra.

Ahmad Starks, who scored three after pouring in 33 in his previous game, seethed after Craig Robinson called a timeout before he hit a would-be tying three-pointer. In fairness to Robinson, he was calling timeout a good couple of seconds before Starks launched the shot.

"It's too bad the game didn't go to overtime,'' Robinson said. "It's too bad I called that
timeout when Ahmad (Starks) took that shot, where he actually took the
shot after I called the timeout. I usually let us flow into it but it
didn't feel right and then he bangs it."

After the timeout, Starks then turned the ball over as he and Eric Moreland got in each other's way after the inbound pass.

The Beavers have gotten a lot of press lately thanks to the Presidential Election. Today's game (2 p.m. against the Boilermakers on ESPNU) will have a say in whether the on-court coverage will focus on something other than C-minus basketball.